Thursday, May 6, 2010

Nothing but hope and faith

It is day twelve of the search. While the pessimist might say there has been no progress, the optimist hangs onto hope and faith and points to the many positive aspects of the search. We have been contacting all sorts of outdoor groups in the area - from the hang gliders who launch from the top of the mountain between the canyon and Karen's home, to the hiking groups whose members not only do collective hikes but also head to the outdoors in their spare time, to the guys and gals on their quads who love this area for its many, many trails.

We have over 1000 posters up, with new ones going up every day and old ones or lost ones being replaced. Prominant ads in the local papers, not in the "classifieds" but right up there with the news stories and sales ads. Forestry has give Karen one of those much-coveted-but-no-longer-available-to-the-public forestry maps of the area. There is rarely a person we speak with who hasn't seen a sign, read the paper, or heard by word of mouth of Luger's absence. The area where he went missing has been searched over and over and over again, with no sign of him, no further reports of whining, no turkey vultures or eagles circling, nothing to suggest he is still there - though of course Karen checks back every single day as many lost dogs return to the place where they went missing.

There was snow up the canyon Tuesday night, just enough to leave a light slush by early morning, but today is sunny and beautiful. Hopefully, it will draw out the hikers and ATVers and will encourage loggers and other workers to take a few minutes to listen and look. The area is so vast....yesterday Sadie and I went to an area on the other side of the canyon (between Copper Canyon and Skutz Falls) which used to be a provincial park, then a regional park, and now just an abandoned park - but with tons of trails and obvious signs that campers, hikers, ATVers and partiers still use it regularly. It is a whole 'nother area to search and plaster with posters.

I have other commitments the next two days during the limited time I can leave my own senior crew, but will be back on the job Saturday if he has not been found by then. And, of course, I will be doing whatever I can do from home via email and phone.

My own senior crew have been a bit shortchanged for attention this week, but Oliver and Charley still get their morning walk (and Belle when she wants one), and Sadie loves to travel in the car with me and have walk-abouts as I put up posters, so they are by no means neglected.

Again, I ask for your prayers for Luger, and please, please forward the information on to anyone you know who lives between Duncan and Nanaimo or who may be visiting this area.

This story is breaking my heart so I can only imagine what Karen is going through, as well as all those on the front lines helping with the search. Thankfully the forecast is for a warm, sunny weekend, which will bring lots of people out and about into the trails, so maybe...? Luger please come home!

We're sending our very best vibes across the water. Wish we could do more!